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Top 5 inauguration fun facts

The White House has taken down a petition from its “We the People” site that had called for the popstar to be “disinvited” from performing the national anthem at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration ceremony because of her relationship with the soft drink Pepsi.

Beyoncé, whose relationship with PepsiCo is part of a $50 million multiyear campaign by the drinkmaker, is a longtime Obama surrogate, having both hosted fundraisers for the president alongside her husband, Jay-Z, and partnered with the first lady on her “Let’s Move!” campaign.

The White House, however, insists that it’s not a matter of sparing an Obama advocate embarrassment, telling the blog Obama Foodorama that it was removed because the Inauguration is “not something the White House actually has jurisdiction over.” (The Inauguration is run by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.)

“Since the Presidential Inaugural Committee is a whole separate entity that handles the Inauguration … the White House doesn’t control who is singing at the inaugural ceremony,” said a spokesman.

When pressed by the blog as to whether the president did, however, have a say in Beyoncé’s selection as an Inauguration singer, the spokesman said, “The president obviously wears a lot of hats and is involved in all kinds of activities,” but repeated that “the White House is not in charge of the Inauguration.”

Hollywood producer and environmental activist Laurie David started the petition and penned a piece for The Huffington Post on the topic.

“Beyoncé’s Pepsi deal was a serious lapse of judgment. And the White House tarnishes its own ‘brand’ by unwittingly boosting the beverage industry,” wrote David. “It’s time to end the hypocrisy, admit the mistake, move Beyoncé from the line-up to the guest list, and replace her with someone who’s not affiliated with any product that’s sickening millions of America’s kids.”

Clarification: An earlier version of this story referred imprecisely to Beyonce’s relationshop with PepsiCo.